Search - Self :: Breakfast With Girls

What a shame

maximumcash2 | el paso, texas United States | 03/27/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"what a shame - it just may be that the only people that ever heard this album are those who reviewed it here, and those who live in matt mahaffey's home town. i literally stumbled upon it based solely on the other reviewer's recommendations. this is a beautiful pop album, in the spirit of beck and the beach boys. songs like 'meg ryan', 'suzie q...', 'paint by numbers', and last but not least 'what are you thinking' are pure pop perfection. 'what are you thinking' is a masterpiece of modern pop. i burn a lot of cd mixes for people, and nothing gives me more pleasure than to include one or all of these songs on one made for a friend who loves 'radio rock'. i agree with another reviewer when he/she says that they only wish that they could make music like this too. i bought his first two albums after hearing this one, and subliminal plastic motives is excellent as well."

The best album you've never heard of

Brian Allen | Kansas, USA | 06/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you asked someone if they have heard of Self, chances are they'll say who? Matt Mahaffey(the only permanent member) has even joked that if you requested Self on the radio, they would probably play Seal, instead. It's a real shame, too, because Self is probably the best pop act out there, and the new album, Ornament and Crime, will likely never see the light of day. It's also unlikely that the band will be touring anytime soon, because lead guitarist and Matt's brother, Mike Mahaffey recently passed away in May of 2005.



As great as Self is, it's easy to see why they've never caught on. Their songs are catchy, but they don't really fit into any existing radio formats. Despite their hip-hop influences, stations that would normally play that type of music ignore them because it's rock oriented, and rock stations won't play Self because of the hip hop influence. And pop stations are out of the question. It's a little too out there for those listeners.



Self has also been through some bad management issues with their major label, Dreamworks Records. Dreamworks always loved Matt's work and had him do some work for both Shrek films, and payed for him to do tracks for other movies which didn't get used. The problem is they had no idea how to market Self, and they ended up throwing support to bands like Powerman 5000 and Papa Roach, which aren't too bad, but not on the same level as Self.



To make things worse the music section of Dreamworks was bought by Universal Records. Self has a new album, Ornament and Crime, that is ready to be released. Universal is hesitant to release it though, because they believe it will be a flop. If there was ever a Self album that would break into the mainstream this is it. Most Selfies(as Self fans sometimes call themselves) have mp3s of the album, and while some think it's disappointing, it would definitely please listeners of modern rock and punk. The guitars are very heavy on the album's mix, more than any other album Self has done, and the songs are as catchy as they've always been. I always thought Self sounded a bit like Weezer, and here it's more obvious than ever. It looks like it will never see a wide release, though.



Enough of the problem's Matt had attaining success. This is Matt and company's peak of song writing. This is both the best of their 3 major releases and the best of their albums including indie and internet releases. However, due to its eclectic nature, this may not be the best place to start for new fans. I'd recommend starting with Subliminal Plastic Motives, which is more rock-oriented. Once you get used to Matt's style, though, you should love this. It's his most diverse album yet, and he went all out using orchestras, weird sound effects, and even a sample of LL Cool J. Indeed it's a lot to take in during one listen, but that's not a problem. You'll love the songs so much that you'll listen to the album again and again.



The album opens with the End of it All. After the first piano chords, you'll probably be unsure what to expect, but then it turns into a good rock meets electronics style song. One of the catchiest on the album. 5/5



The next track, Kill the Barflies, shows you another side of Self, the spooky side. Well, spooky sound effects anyway. Matt has made a song like this on almost every one of his albums, and they're always pretty cool. Barflies may be the best one yet. 5/5



The album's third track is Meg Ryan. This was meant to be a big hit single, but Dreamworks never shot a video, and didn't do anything to promote it. If you can't tell from the title these are some of Matt's most playful lyrics yet about what it would be like to be romantically linked to a movie star. It's also one of his catchiest songs ever and voted by Selfies as the second best Self song. 5/5



Following that is another would be single, Suzie Q Sailaway. Matt intended to put this on the all toy album, Gizmodgery, but Dreamworks insisted that he included it here instead. It's easy to see why. It's one of Matt's hardest rocking songs ever, and this version easily outdoes the toy version, which Matt released on the b-side album Selfafornia. It's also very catchy, with more over-the-top lyrics. Also features one of Mike's best solos ever. 5/5



Completing the trio of songs that should've been hits is Uno Song. This is one of the more pop focused tracks on the album, but don't let that fool you. It's still a great song. You might find the lead keyboard to be annoying the first listen(I sure did), but after that it really grows on you. And it has lyrics that anyone could relate to. Like Suzie Q Sailaway, it features another great solo from Mike. 5/5



Next is Paint by Numbers which deals with the temptations of selling out in order to be more successful. Another great track, and the rap influence shows more on this track. 5/5



The seventh track on BWG is What Are You Thinking?, which alternates between happy and mellow. Maybe he should do more mellow stuff, because this is definitely a standout track. The strings on it are simply breathtaking. The lyrics are good, too. I especially like the line, "I've got mountains of regret and my sorrow fills an ocean." It was voted the best Self song by Selfies. 5/5



Following this is Sucker, which is quite a change from the previous track. It features some samples from an Ella Fitzgerald song, which give it an authentic jazz sound, but it certainly doesn't need them. It has some of his best lyrics yet. The chorus line is especially good. 5/5



After Sucker is Breakfast with Girls. I used to not like this track so much, but it's grown on me. This is where the rap influence shows the most, and it has some more jazzy sounds in the background. If you're wondering this is the track with LL Cool J. On the chorus, a sample is played of him saying, "the G, the I, the R, the L, the S". The bridge is also very cool, and is an extension of the bridge from the b-side, Life Could be Swell. 5/5



Better than Aliens is another one of Matt's quirky love songs, this time done in a loungey style. Reminds me of those Vegas singers, but in a good way. The title should give you an idea of what the lyrics are like. 5/5



It All Comes Out in the Wash has some more rap influence, but it also has some bluesy harmonica. The horns are especially great. This song is great on here, but it's even better live. 5/5



After that is Callgirls, which is another one of the aformentioned "spooky songs". One of the harder songs on here, but also features a suprising piano interlude, and a misleading intro, which sounds like it's going to be some kind of industrial song with strings. 5/5



The album's closer is Placing the Blame, another piano based track, which also has some strings. This is the most mellow track on the album, but it's also one of my favorites. At about 3:00 into it the strings come in and the song picks up a little. Despite the mellow music, the lyrics are deliciously goofy. A great way to end the album. My favorite Self song. 5/5



I'm not sure that Self's bad critics really ever gave them a chance. Take the review below mine, for example. It's like the guy put it in and didn't even try to enjoy it. Self is hardly "amateurish". There's too much going on here to call Matt an amateur, and Self often sounds annoying to new listeners, because it's so different from other music. However, it definitely grows on you the more you hear it. I also often hear complaints that it's too big for its own good. I might agree if the songs themselves had no substance, but the songs themselves are well written, so the layers only add.



All in all, this is a great album and if you don't own it you should get it at all costs. Thankfully it's his second most common release and while Amazon no longer stocks it, it's still easy to find from third parties, so it shouldn't cost too much. If you have any interest in power pop, you'll love it, and even if you don't there's enough variety here to find something you enjoy."

A cult classic

Little Banana | 01/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this album several years ago after hearing the fantastic single "Paint By Numbers" off the "Dead Man on Campus" soundtrack. The first time I heard the album, I was sorry I bought it, but by listen number three, I felt like I never wanted to put another album in my CD player. If you like bands like Weezer and Lit and Jimmy Eat World, you'll also like Self. Every song on the CD isn't great, but it also contains five or six of the best songs I've ever heard in my life (and I can say this many years after first hearing the CD). This album is an unbelievable masterpiece."